Farms
Most of the people in the region practice subsistence farming – the size of farm ranging from one quarter to 2 acres.
Even though most people in the region consider animals as valuable assets, the average farmer has only a few goats and sheep and maybe 2 – 3 cows.
Forests
Loss of forest cover for various reasons ha a major impact on the environment of the region, particularly by reducing rainfall.
The first Nyagak hydroelectric power station was commissioned in 2012, but it is insufficient and there is no electricity supply to the rural areas – so people do most of their cooking using firewood.
Introduction of energy conservation stoves and other renewable energy sources would reduce loss of the forest cover.
Crops
The major cash crop has been Tobacco, but it has caused more environmental damage to the region than the economic value accrued – because of being fuel-cured which has caused further destruction of the forest cover.
Coffee and Cotton, which used to be the best cash crops, have now been abandoned due to poor crop finance and drop of prices in the world market. A few farmers still practice coffee farming but on a very small scale.
Common food crops grown in the region are Beans, Cassava, Sorghum, Millet, Sweet Potatoes, Simsim, Maize and Groundnuts. Of late, upland Rice has been introduced in parts of the region and is doing very well.
Food security
The reduction in forest cover and other factors beyond local control, like global warming, El Niño etc, the region now experiences longer periods of drought and much depleted soil fertility – so crop yields are generally low, resulting in lack of food security.